For Konoha and For Peace
by dark wolf 100
Summary: Itachi had always wanted peace. He just didn't realize exactly how far he would or wouldn't go for it. Nor did he realize what it would take to kill his entire family. Based on the the assumption that Madara wasn't lying.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto. I can't even speak Japanese.

Itachi watched from his position on the pole. His timing had to be exactly on spot. He knew that every evening exactly at 7.30 pm, Sasuke would go to the woods to train. It was now nearing 9.00 pm , ½ an hour before Sasuke's usual returning time. Even as he signaled to Madara, he knew that Sasuke would be starting his journey home at that exact moment. Madara was masked, of course. It wouldn't do for any civilians to notice the legendary traitor Uchiha wandering around Konoha. Not that anyone who could recognise him was still alive. Still, better to be safe than sorry.

The two ninja swooped down from the sky into entrance of the Uchiha complex. They silently looked at each other and then split into 2 different directions. Itachi went into the first house on the right. He carefully placed his feet on the wooden floor, careful not to make a sound. After all, there were a lot of Uchihas, so he planned on trying to kill most of them in their sleep. Noticing his own detachedness about killing his own family members, he reminded himself, _I do this for Konoha, I do this for peace. These people threaten both Konoha __**and**__ peace. _

Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he quickly slit the throats of the residents in the first house. He was grateful that he did not know any of them of well. Leaving the house, he continued systematically down the right side, killing every resident in each house. He made sure to leave traces of himself in each and every house. After all, he intended everyone to know that the killer of Uchihas was Uchiha Itachi himself. Occasionally, he paused, looking into their sleeping faces before killing them. Some faces he knew, some he didn't. But with every kill he made, he repeated these sentences to himself, reassuringly, almost mantra-like, _I do this for Konoha, I do this for peace. I kill those who threaten both Konoha and peace._

When both he and Madara were about three-quarters through the complex, a man came out of one of the houses. Itachi recognised him as Uchiha Sanosuke, brother of Uchiha Shisui. Sanosuke noticed Itachi and Madara and started to shout. Realising he was alerting the other Uchihas, Itachi leapt forward and stabbed Sanosuke in the heart with his sword. Sanosuke fell limply to the floor. But it was too late. Uchihas were coming out of the the houses left and right.

Itachi and Madara sprung into action, attacking before the other Uchihas could get a hold of their bearings. Itachi saw the shock on their faces when they realised it was he, the prodigal son, Itachi Uchiha who was attacking. The memory of that battle in the street was a blur to him. He killed men, woman, teens, elderly. Every person before him died. He killed with fire. He killed with sword. He killed with Sharingan. He killed with shuriken. He simply killed. He killed with with the same words pounding in his head every time. _I do this for Konoha. I do this for peace. I kill them, for they threaten both Konoha and peace._

At last, they had killed all in the streets except the two guards in front of the clan leader's house. The clan leader. Itachi's father. Madara slayed both of them easily. He was about to enter when Itachi spoke.

" Don't. I will deal with my parents alone. You know what to do with the other bodies." Without saying a word, Madara left.

Leaving Itachi alone. He entered the house, only to be greeted by the sight of his parents. His father and mother were both standing in ready stances, obviously prepared for the attacker. However, just as obviously, they were not prepared for who the attacker was. For Itachi's parents relaxed the moment they saw his face.

"Son..... The attacker... What happened to him?" said his father, who seemed to have noticed the blood and scorch marks which covered Itachi in greatly. Itachi, almost did a double-take, realising just how much trust his parents had in him. Almost, for he had slipped on his face, a cool, emotionless facade which he maintained even as he spoke.

" I killed him. He was another member of the ANBU."

Itachi did not recall his father's stepping forward, but father must have, for he was hugging Itachi. Something that had never happened for all of Itachi's 13 years. This sudden display of affection from a man who was well-known for his emotional constraint unnerved Itachi. As did his father's last words, which he whispered into Itachi's ears , as his mother joined the hug.

" You have proven your loyalty to the Uchiha. I should have never doubted you. You are truly my son." Hearing these words, Itachi steeled both his heart and his mind. He needed to do this, no matter the cost to himself. As he stabbed both his parents' backs with kunai, as he saw his father's gaze transform from one of pride to one of pain, as he saw his mother's eyes looking completely betrayed, he remembered the words on which he had based his acceptance of this mission. _I do this for Konoha. I do this for peace. I may love them, but Konoha and peace __**must **__be protected._

He finished them off with more kunai, this time in their hearts and stomachs. He detachedly observed his own mother vomit up blood and choke on it, for she had fallen first. Barely five seconds later, his father fell right on top of his mother. He felt a surge of guilt, self-loathing and numerous other emotions, but he clamped down on them. He had to deal with Sasuke first. He stepped over the bodies, turned around, and waited.

Just as Itachi predicted, he heard Sasuke's voice less than 10 minutes later. He knew his little brother would be too foolish to simply run away at the sight of the dead bodies. Even though knowing it was a lost cause, he warned his brother to stay away. The door slid open less than a second later. Itachi took in the the shocked, confused look of Sasuke's face.

Good. Hopefully his brother would come out stronger for this. Itachi's early experience with war had made him averse to it. But not to killing. He hoped Sasuke would learn a similar lesson. His brother at that moment, was currently babbling incoherently, due to the sight of his parent's dead bodies. Itachi threw a shuriken, which just nicked Sasuke's shoulder, marking the closed door. That certainly got Sasuke's attention.

" Foolish little brother.." Itachi said,in a voice barely above a whisper, maintaining his calm facade, even as he tensed up internally. He looked straight into Sasuke's eyes and activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. Itachi waited, knowing Sasuke was being engulfed by a flood of images. As soon as the illusions stopped, Sasuke slumped to the floor. Itachi tensed, wondering if he had gone too far. He was reassured by Sasuke lifting his head. Itachi almost smiled. _My foolish little brother seems to be stronger than I predicted. But he will need to be much stronger._

" ...Why....did you...? said Sasuke in a betrayed and almost cracking voice. Itachi hardened his heart as he gave his reply. His false reply.

" It was to test my capacity." Itachi kept his voice smooth and even , almost as if he was talking about the weather.

" ...To test your capacity...? That's all... That's...the only reason... you killed everyone... for that?" asked Sasuke, his face filled with disbelief. Once again, Itachi had to steel himself. For the reply he wanted to give, was much different from the reply he had to give.

_No, _he wanted to say,_ No, little brother , that was not the reason! I did this for Konoha. I did this for peace. I did this because of the threat to Konoha and peace. I did this for you. So that you could grow up in Konoha in peace. So that you would grow up without being tainted by the Uchiha's plot. I did this for you, little brother!_

Instead, what came out of Itachi's mouth was a cold, " It was essential."

Itachi saw his brother's disbelief turn to to anger. " What... that's complete CRAP!" roared Sasuke, as he lunged towards Itachi. However, the Itachi's Sharingan attack had weakened Sasuke greatly. Thus, Sasuke had ended up falling flat on the floor, looking straight into the eyes of his dead father. Doing his best to detach himself , Itachi observed the the tears that were now rolling down Sasuke's face.

Suddenly, Sasuke got up and bolted out the door. Itachi controlled his rising panic as he ran out the house. He had to tell Sasuke the secret of the Mangekyou Sharingan. It was the way to make Sasuke get stronger. He climbed onto a house and leapt from house to house, his red eyes searching for the 8-year-old boy running for his life, or so he believed. Succeeding, Itachi jumped down from the house he was on, blocking Sasuke's path out of the complex.

Sasuke's face was now filled with an overwhelming sadness, tear-tracks being formed continuously on his cheeks. He stared at Itachi, saying, " Yes... You can't be my brother. Because..."

Having no desire to see the despair in his little brother which Itachi himself was responsible for, he cut off Sasuke , " The brother you wanted to spend time has done this... To ascertain your 'capacity'..." This reply at least, mused Itachi, was slightly closer to the truth. He started saying the words which he had prepared. After all, he always did know how to rile up his little brother. He talked about the role he had acted towards Sasuke ; elder brother, companion. The only untruth in those words were the fact that that Itachi _**had not been acting. **_

He ended off with what he knew was absolutely true. " I will let you live ….For my sake" It really was true. For if Itachi had truly managed to harden his heart and steel his mind, Sasuke would have been dead long before this. But Itachi hadn't be able to. And that made all the difference. Itachi noted the surprise that flitted across Sasuke's face at his words. However, the shock and anger remained. Once again, Itachi thought, _Good. He will need that anger if he is to kill me. _

He now told his brother the requirements to get the Mangekyou Sharingan. At least, what his brother needed to know. " You can awaken the same Mangekyou Sharingan as me. However, there is a requirement," said Itachi, looking unflinchingly into Sasuke's betrayed face. He needed Sasuke to fully digest what he was about to say.

" You must kill... your closest friend." Those words brought the shifting emotions on Sasuke's face to a standstill. Itachi noticed the way Sasuke's gaze was completely transfixed on him. Then, Sasuke asked the question Itachi knew would come. Had he killed Shisui? When Itachi answered in the affirmative, Sasuke's face appeared completely frozen with fear. _I bet my little brother believes I'm a cold-hearted bastard now, doesn't he? If so, I am succeeding._

Itachi continued, " At the main temple of the Nakano shrine... On the far right side, under the 7th tatami mat is the clan's secret meeting place. There you will find what purpose the doujutsu of the Uchiha clan originally served... The real secret is hidden there. " Itachi was probably confusing his brother a lot. He could only hope the trauma of the situation would cause Sasuke to remember his instructions. By veiling it in a threat, Itachi let his brother know that there were 2 others who could handle the Mangekyou Sharingan. If his brother could open his eyes to the truth...

" In that case, … hehe. There would be a reason to let you live right now.. It would be worthless to kill someone like you." Itachi allowed a smirk to flit across his face as Sasuke took a step back at his words. Time for his final words.

" ...My foolish little brother..... If you want to kill me... Curse me! Hate me!" _So that you will train harder than ever to become stronger._

" And live a long and unsightly life... Run away... Run away... And cling to your pitiful life. _So that when the time comes for us to fight, you are still alive._

_" _And some day, when you have the same 'eyes' as me. Come before me" _So that when you kill me, you can gain Eternal Mangekyou._

With that, Itachi activated his Mangekyou Sharingan once more, knocking Sasuke unconscious. He looked at his brother for one last time before tearing his eyes away. As he quickly made his way to Konoha's entrance, he still had those words pounding in his head.

_I did this for Konoha. I did this for peace. But the Konoha and peace will never be worth killing my little brother ._

**A/N: **Wow, I actually wrote a second fic. And its longer. I seem unable to think of an actual plot so we just get introspectiveness. Anyway, please review and tell me if I got any of the facts wrong. So just click those green words, mate.


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